(Digby Hullabaloo) That’s Our Fratboy “There’s an interesting simple psychology involved in such things. If someone can coerce those in a group to help him attack a single member they become his accomplices. For instance, getting everybody in the press corps to laugh at a reporter’s baldness makes those reporters part of the president’s gang. And, of course, it intimidates them. If they stray, they too will be subject to that kind of public humiliation. It’s the evil fratboy theory of social relations, very primitive stuff.”

The practice of Bush giving nicknames (often referring to physical characteristics) of a person is also simply establishment of pecking order. Basically, I can call you what I want, you can call me Mr. President. It sounds so very informal, but you have to remember, the informality IS a one-way street. What would Georgie do if he called on “Stretch” and Stretch called him Parrotbeak in return? That’d be the last time THAT reporter saw the Rose Garden. The fact is, the pecking order is already established. Bush IS the president, leader of the free world (as it used to be called). Why should he have to remind people of it continually?